1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to appliance supports, and more particularly to a levelling wheel and leg assembly for refuse compactors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one form of refuse compactor, the appliance cabinet is installed under-the-counter or in a similar confined space. The appliance is positioned for service by rolling it on a pair of rear wheels into position under the counter, then levelled by adjusting the lengths of a pair of legs at the front corners of the cabinet. The appliance thus requires two different kinds of cabinet supports, i.e., wheels and legs, which increases production costs.
Combination wheels and legs for various apparatus are known to exist. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,277, for example, a footplate pivots on a cross member between a first orientation having a horizontal axis of rotation for operation as a wheel and a second orientation having a vertical orientation for operation as a leg. The foot plate is secured in the first orientation by a manually operated latch. This device is relatively complex and there is no means for adjusting its length so that it cannot be used for appliance levelling.
Mechanisms provided heretofore for controlling the mounting disposition of an appliance wheel or leg include screws, levers, ratchets or cams as provided, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,158,142; 3,753,400; 3,844,578 and 3,858,270. These mechanisms, however, besides being relatively complex, do not operate as both an adjustable wheel and adjustable leg.